Potato-digger



5 Sheets-Sheet 24 (No Model.)

W. E. LEIDIGER.

PO'I'ATO BIGGER.

5 sheets-sheet 3.

(No Model.) r W. E. L BIDIGER.

POTATO BIGGER No. 555,251. Patented P55. 2 5, 1895.

(No Mode) f 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. E. LBIDIGER. POTATO BIGGER Patented Peb. 25, '1895.

o Y ssh t;-sh t5. (N Model) W. El LEIDIGBR. ee s vee POTATO BIGGER.

Il!! Y ma ,lHllwLlllllllv Il II l 1l Il Y Patented Feb; 25, 1896.

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Nirnn STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM E. LEIDIGER, OF FALL CREEK, VISCONSIN.

DlGGER.

SPECIF'ICATXON forming part of Letters lPatent No. 555,251, datedFebruary 25, 1896.

Application filed October 2,1894. Serial No. 524,757. (No model.)

To all whom it wtay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. LEIDIGEP., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fall Creek, in the county of Eau Claire and State ofvWisconsin, have invented a new and useful Potato-Digger, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in potato-diggers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofpotato-diggers and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensivemachine capable of readily eXtract ing potatoes from the ground and ofseparating them from vines and weeds and of cleaning and freeing themfrom clods of earth and delivering them in a marketable condition to anattendant.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a potato-diggerconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view.Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the otherside of the machine. Fig. 5 is a longitudinalsectional view. Fig. 6 is atransverse sectional view. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the shovel. Fig.Sis a similar view illustrating the construction of the resilientcleaner-arms. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view illustrating theconstruction of the endless carriers. Fig. 10 is a detail view of thetransversely disposed reciprocating rake. Fig. ll is a detailperspective view of the rotary agitator for shaking the front endlesscarrier.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theiigures of the drawings.

1 designates an axle supporting the frame of the potato-digger andhaving journaled on its spindles carrying or ground wheels 2 and 3, fromone of which motion is communicated to the machine by means hereinafterdescribed. l

At the front ot the machine is located a tapering-pointed shovel 4,secured to the lower rear ends of a pair of forwardly-diverging beams 5,which have their front terminals G pivoted at opposite sides of a linkor lever 7 connecting the shovelbean1s with a tongue S. The tongue 8 hasits rear end supported by means of a two-wheeled truck 9 and is hingedlyconnected to the front end of the link or lever 7, which is pivotedintermediate of its ends to the shovel-beam. The rear end of the link isadjustably connected by a pair of upward-extending links lO with an armof an'operating-lever ll, which is fulcrumed at its angle on a bracketl2 of the shovel-beams. The operating-lever is pivoted directly to aratchet-plate 13, which is secured to theV bracket l2, and it carries apawl or detent 14, which is operated by alatch-lever l5, arrangedadjacent to the handle of the operating-lever, whereby the latter maybesecured at any desired adjustment. The links 10, which extend upwardfrom the rear end of the link or lever 7, are provided with perforations16, adapted for the reception of a pivot-bolt 18, to enable the arm ofthe operatingdever to be secured at the desired adjustment, whereby theconnection between the operating-lever and the link or lever 7 may beincreased or diminished.

By means of the operating-lever and its connection with the rear end ofthe tongue, the depth of the shovel may be readily governed.

The bracket l2 is substantially rectangular, and consists of alongitudinally-disposed portion to which the said ratchetplate issecured, and front and rear legs, 19 and 20. The leg 19 is biturcatedand straddles the upper edge of one of the shovel-beams, and is securedin that position by a hook-bolt 2l, engaging the lower edge of theshovel-beam and extending through the longitudinal portion of thebracket and a flange of the ratchet-plate 13. The rear leg of thebracket is substantially L-shaped, and is bolted to a cross-bar 22,which connect-s the shovel-beams.

The shovel is further supported by front longitudinally-disposedconnecting bars or braces, 23, extending forward from the axle andsecured at their front terminals to opposite sides ot' the shovel, andthey are connected intermediate of their ends with the shovel-beams byinclined bars 24.

IOO

At the rear edge of the shovel is hinged a shaking-screen 25, consistingof a transverse plate 26 and a series of rearward-extending fingers orbars 27, which rest upon a front endless carrier, 28. The transverseplate 2G is provided with forward extending perforated ears 20, whichare pivoted by means of a bolt to similar ears 30 of the shovel 4. Thescreen 25 has the rear ends of its fingers or bars resting upon the endof the carrier, and they terminate at the front thereof, and theyoperate to shake a great deal of the loose earth from the potatoesbefore they arrive at or are delivered upon the endless carrier, andprevent a great deal of earth from coming in contact with the endlesscarrier.

The endless carrier 28 receives the potatoes from the shovel 4c, itinclines upward and rearward, and it is composed of links 3l andcross-bars 32. The links form a sprocketchain at the side edges of theendless carrier, and are arranged on sprocket-wheels and 3i of upper andlower transverse shafts 35 and 3G, journaled in suitable bearings of theinclined sides 37 of the front conveyer or carrier.

Outward-extending bars 3S are arranged at intervals on the carrier 2S,they are disposed transversely thereof to form buckets for conveying thepotatoes upward, and they also serve as the means for agitating theshakingscreen 25. The transverse]y-disposed projecting bars come incontact with the lower face of the shaking-screen 25 and lift the latterand produce a continuous jolting of the same, whereby a large quantityof the soil clinging to the potatoes is separated from them before theyreach the conveyer or carrier 2S.

The clods are broken to free the potatoes, and the vines and weeds arecrowded on the front carrier by means of a pair of oscillating arms orbars 39, located above the shakingscreen at the front of the endlesscarrier and mounted intermediate of their ends on crankbends 40 of atransverse shaft 4l, which is journaled in suitable bearings of theshovelbeams. The upper ends of the oscillating bars 39 are connected bylink-rods 42 with the cross-bar 22, whereby the rotation of the shaft@il will produce an oscillatory motion in the bars 39. rlhe crank-bends40 are disposed diametrically opposite each other, and when one of thebars 39 is moving rearward the other one is being carried forwardpreparatory to engaging the potatoes, earth and vines, wherebythepotatoes and vines are continuously operated on.

As the potatoes are conveyed upward on the front carrier the latter isshaken, to free it of accumulated soil and to effect the cleaning of thepotatoes, by means of a rotary agitator -13 located between the upperand lower portions of the front endless carrier and arranged to eng'agethe lower face of the upper portion. It consists of a flat bar havingrounded longitudinal edges, and it is mounted on a transverse shaft 44,journaled in suitable bearings of the sides 37 of the carrier.

A rear endless carrier is located below the upper end of the frontcarrier, and it extends upwardly and rearwardly, and the potatoes onarriving at the upper terminus of the front carrier fall upon the rearcarrier, 45, and drop about eighteen inches, which serves to free themfrom the clinging soil. The vines and weeds do not fall with thepotatoes, but are carried rearward between a pair of upper and lowertransversely-disposed rolls 46, which draw the weeds and vines rearwardand compress the same.

The rollers 46 are mounted upon upper and lower shafts a7 and i8, whichare journaled in suitable boxes, and the boxes of the upper shaft 48 areslidingly arranged in vertical guides t9 and are compressed or forceddownward by springs 50, disposed on rods 5l. The springs operate tomaintain the rollers a certain distance apart normally, but permit therolls to separate to accommodate the weeds and vines passing betweenthem.

Beneath the rolls and extending rearward from them is atransversely-disposed apron 52, which is separated a sufcient distancefrom the front endless carrier to afford an opening for the downwardpassage of the falling potatoes, and it is adapted to receive the vinesand weeds leaving the rolls. The vines and weeds are discharged from themachine by a tran sversely-disposed reciprocating rake 53, which isprovided with a series of depending fingers 5i for engaging the weedsand vines. One end, 55, of the rake is slidingly mounted in an openingof a support 56, and the other end, 57 is connected to a crankbend 58 ofa shaft o9, disposed longitudinally of the machine and connected bybevel-gears 60 and 6l with the transverse shaft i7 of the lower roll i6.As the crank-shaft 59 rotates the transversely-disposed rake 53 will bereciprocated and will cause the vines and weeds to be discharged fromone side of the machine.

The rear endless carrier, 45, is constructed similar to the frontcarrier and is composed of links G2 and cross-bars 63, and is providedat intervals with outward-extending bars G4, and it is mounted on upperand lower sprocket-wheels, and 6G, of shafts 67 and GS.

Before the potatoes arrive at the top of the rear carrier the soil stillclinging to them is removed by a series of parallellongitudinallydisposed spring-bars G9, constructed of resilient materialand arranged slightly above the rear conveyer or carrier. The front endsof the resilient bars G9, are secured to a tra-ns- Verse bar 70,arranged beneath the apron 52, and the rear terminals 7l of the bars 65)are curved upward slightly. The potatoes passing beneath the resilientbars are rubbed and the dirt is completely removed, and the potatoes aredelivered at the back of the machine IOO IIO

in a marketable condition and are received in suitable bags or otherreceptacles carried by attendants.

The attendant stan ds upon a rear platform 72, which has its frontsupported by bars 73 extending from the platform and hinged to the axle,and the platform is adj ustably connected with the back of the frame bymeans of a windlass consisting of a cable, rope 7l, or the like, and atransverse shaft 75, journaled in suitable bearings of the sides 'TG ofthe rear carrier and provided with drums or spools 77, and having at oneend a crank-handle. The platform may be raised or lowered, and it isretained at the desired adjustment by a pawl and ratchet or any suitablemeans for holding the transverse shaft T against retrograde rotation.

The main or supporting frame of the machine has a centrally-arrangedrectangular support or frame 79 extending upward from the axle andhaving secured to its sides, near its top, forward and rearwardextending rods or braces 8O and 8l, having their lower ends connectedwith the sides of the carriers. This construction forms a truss, and therectangular frame or support 7 9 is supported by upwardly-convergingbraces 82.

The driver occupies a seat 83, which is supported by oppositely-disposedarched standards Si, extending upward from the sides of the frontcarrier a short distance from the operating-lever, in order that thelatter may be in convenient reach of the driver.

The carrying-wheel 8 is provided with a cog-wheel S5, which may be fixedto or formed integral with the carrying-wheel 3, and which meshes with apinion SG of the upper shaft 36 of the front carrier, and the pinion isconw nected with the shaft 3G by means of a clutch S7, operated by alever 8S and adapted to throw the machine into and out of operation, aswill be readily understood. The pinion S6 is located at one side of themachine, on the exterior thereof, and the shaft 36 is extended throughthe opposite side of the same and has fixed to it a sprocket-wheel 89 onwhich is arranged a sprocket-chain 90.

The sprocket-chain 90 is arranged on a sprocket-wheel 91 of the shaft47, a sprocketwheel 92 of the agitatorshaft il, and a sprocket-wheel 03of the lower shaft 68 of the rear carrier. It passes under an idler 94,and under a sprocket-wheel 95, which is connected with a similarsprocket-wheel 96, receiving a sprocket-chain 97 for rotating the cran'kshaft 4l, which carries a sprocketn wheel 9S. By this arrangement ofsprocket wheels and chains the endless carriers are opera-ted, theagitator for shaking the front carrieris rotated, and the crank-shafts4l and 5f) are rotated for operating the oscillating bars and thereciprocating rake.

It will be seen that the potato-digger is simple and comparativelyinexpensive in construction, that it is capable of rapidly harvestingpotatoes, and that it requires but two men, a driver and an attendant,for manipulatin g the bags or other receptacles.

It will also be seen that the machine delivers the potatoes inamarketable condition free from dirt, and that the weeds and vines aresepara-ted from the potatoes and discharged at one side of the machine.

It will also be apparent that the depth of the plow may be readilycontrolled, and that the mechanism for accomplishing this result islocated within convenient reach of the driver.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

lVhat I claim isl. In a potato-digger, the combination of a frame, ashovel, an endless carrier located in rear of the shovel, and separatedtherefrom by a space, and a shaking-screen located at the spa-ce betweenthe shovel and the endless carrier and hinged at its front to the latterand having its rear resting upon and supported by the endless carrier,whereby the Screen is agitated bythe carrier and potatoes are shaken andsifted before arriving at the endless carrier, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a potato-digger, the combination of a frame, a shovel, an' endlesscarrier located in rear of the shovel, and a shaking-screen hinged atits front to the shovel and located in advance of the endless carrier,and provided with rearwardly-extending fingers or bars having their rearends supported by the front of the endless carrier, whereby the screenis agitated by the carrier and potatoes are shaken and sifted beforereaching the endless carrier, substantially as described.

3. In apotato-digger, the combination of a frame, an endless carrier,apair of rolls located in rear of the carrier and arranged one above theother, and adapted to receive and carry rearward the vines and weedsfrom the carrier, and a transversely-reciprocating rake arranged in rearof the rolls for discharging the vines and weeds, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a potato-digger, the combination of a frame, an endless carrier,an apron located in rear of the carrier, and adapted to receive thevines and weeds, and a transversely-reciprocating rake mounted above theapron, substantially as described.

In a potato-digger, the combination of a frame, an endless carrier, anapron located in rear of the carrier, the upper and lower rolls arrangedabove the apron, the upper roll being yieldingly mounted, and areciprocating rake disposed transversely of the frame and located inrear of the rolls, substantially as described.

6. In a potato-digger, the combination of a frame, atransversely-disposed rake provided with depending fingers or teeth andhaving one end slidingly mounted, and a crank-shaft IOO IIO

disposed longitudinally of the frame an d having its crank connectedwith the other end of the rake, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

7. In a potato-digger, the combination of a frame, an endless carrier,vertical guides disposed at opposite sides of the frame and located inrear of the carrier, the upper and lower rolls, the upper roll beingslidingly mounted in the guides, springs for forcing the upper rolldownward, and means for discharging the vines and weeds at one side ofthe frame, substantially as described.

8. In a potato-digger, the combination of a frame, an endless carrier,and a series of longitudinally disposed resilient bars located above thecarrier and arranged to engage the potatoes conveyed by the carrier forcleaning the same7 substantially as described.

9. In a potato-digger, the combination of a front carrier, a rearcarrier, a weed-receivin g apron located above the rear carrier and ar-'anged a short distance in rear of the front carrier and forming anintervening space for the passage of potatoes to permit the latter tofall from the front carrier to tlie rear one, and- ILLTAM E. LEIDIGER.

VVit-nesses:

J. A. THWING, L. D. LANGWORTHY.

